I was in the basement today cutting some basswood ply to size for experimenting in my new laser engraver when I noticed a stack of sheets I recall having arrived as protection/packing material in huge load of closet shelving kits we installed a few years ago.
It’s one of those things that you decide to stash in case it proves useful someday rather than throw away…
Now I’m eyeing it as test fodder for laser cutter experiments, but I wanted to see if anyone had insights as to whether the inevitable glue/binders in this composite are likely toxic or otherwise risky for use.
A photo might not be enough to say for sure, but thought I’d ask the experienced community here for some thoughts or advice.
These are sheets about 3mm thick and I have a ton of them. Has a fiberboard / MDF / masonite’ish sort of vibe about it… but not identical to any of those three either.
To be safe, you should know what it’s chemical makeup is… Even a brand name would help.
There are plenty of sites with the do not use for laser options, however you have to have some idea of what it is… here’s one… Remove the .txt extension… it’s a pdf.
Yeah, bit of a long shot to ask this way with just a photo, I realize. The role these played as protective packaging means it was meant to be tossed… so zero indications of its makeup, any sort of brand name, etc. I kept it thinking it might be useful for something, but burning it with a diode laser wasn’t on my mind at the time.
Probably will go on the “better safe than sorry” list, along with my attitude toward trusting the orange plexi in the doors of my unit (wearing goggles in addition).
Coincidentally, it was while I was cutting (on the table saw) a load of basswood and about ten pieces of acrylic that I glanced over and saw this stack. I see it as sacrificial test fodder so long as I can know with certainty it’s not going to unleash some sort of evil.
And, yes, totally agree that safety (eyes and lungs), family, etc., are the top priority. This is a hobby and curiosity for me, so I’m being pretty careful with checking stuff out before I start pointing a laser at it.
Used as a building material and has most likely halogen glue.
Normally doesn’t bother most of us humans if we cut it with a saw but using a laser on it would probably be injurious to your health if you lasered much of anything.
Interesting. I think of OSB as being the far larger, thicker and much rougher “chip board” material used in construction (such as subfloor material, etc). This stuff is totally smooth.
This is also OSB? In feel, it’s far closer to a masonite (though lighter in color and has visible fiber in it to masonite’s dark, more “crumbly” composition when cracked).
There is a stuff called hardboard my wife pointed out at Lowes, including a photo someone sent from its use in laser cut crafts… but I’m not sure it’s that either, nor is the photo proof that the person who shared that hasn’t been poisoning themselves in the process. I think hardboard is often used as backing in cheaper furniture.
The glue in OSB (class 1) is the same type as in MDF or HDF and certain types of (birch) plywood. Here you differentiate whether it is for interior or exterior use. The DS 413 standard divides OSB boards into 3 classes. Only class 1 is interior glued. A big difference is that the OSB boards are impregnated with glue to hold the chips together, in the same style as MDF and HDF. In plywood, glue is used “only” between the layers.
The biggest problem in all those materials is formaldehyde and even though the content of formaldehyde has been significantly limited for many years, there is still this poison in the materials.
I work with all the materials mentioned but use an industrial extractor for the purpose. A self-built active carbon filter only survived approx. half a year. Because I don’t bother neighbors or myself with the exhaust air, I discharge it into the open air. In my opinion, working with these materials is as unhealthy as plywood, acrylic, PP, PE, ABS…but everyone works with it.
